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Transfer news: £80m star wants to join Arsenal | Gunners eyeing PL defender

By on May 5, 2018

There is plenty of transfer news doing the rounds today so here are two of the hottest rumours circulating in the media…

Mahrez wants Arsenal

According to the Express, Riyad Mahrez is set to leave Leicester City this summer and his preference would be to join Arsenal over the likes of Manchester City.

We’ve been constantly linked with the 26-year-old in recent transfer windows ever since declaring our interest following his sensational form to help Leicester win the title in 2016.

Mahrez has come close to leaving the Foxes several times and even handed in a transfer request to try and push through an exit away from the King Power – although he’s since withdrawn that request.

However, the Express claim Mahrez remains intent on leaving this summer and his preference would be to finally join Arsenal if a deal could be agreed between the two clubs.

The newspaper says Mahrez has bought a house in the capital and wants to move to London over Manchester so is prepared to snub champions City in favour of the Emirates.

Leicester boss Claude Puel is understood to be resigned to losing Mahrez this summer but the Express claim the Foxes have slapped an £80m price-tag on his head after already rejecting a £50m bid from City.

I’ve said for a while that we lack width in the squad and Mahrez would certainly be an excellent addition to the squad but we’ll have to wait and see what the new managers transfer plans are once we eventually name Wenger’s successor.

Arsenal eye Bailly

The Mirror are citing a report from ESPN that claims Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Eric Bailly’s situation at Manchester United ahead of a potential summer swoop.

Bailly has fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho this season and has struggled to force his way back in to the first team since returning from injury in February.

Mourinho bizarrely claimed on Thursday that he wasn’t playing Bailly because he won’t be going to the World Cup this summer after the Ivory Coast failed to qualify for the finals.

The centre-back didn’t attend United’s end of season awards dinner last week with the club citing a ‘dental problem’ as the reason for his absence amid speculation of a bust-up with Mourinho.

It’s all led to rumours that Bailly will look for a new club this summer and the newspaper report says Arsenal are showing a keen interest in luring him to north London.

We desperately need to overhaul our defence as we’ve been woeful at the back for far too long and I think we need to sign at least one, if not two, new central defenders.

Bailly would be a superb signing as I think he’s got the potential to be a real star and it doesn’t look like he’s going to fulfill his potential under Mourinho at Old Trafford.

However, it would be difficult to see United agreeing to sell to us and Chelsea are also in the running for his signature so I’m not getting my hopes up just yet.